Women are a crucial part of the new class of entrepreneurs formed during the crisis.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 4 million people lost their jobs in the first two years of the swine flu epidemic. A study by McKinsey found that working women feel more exhausted, burned out, and under pressure than their male colleagues.

Many women have launched their own businesses since then. Social media has been a factor in their success.

We opened our phones while we stood 6 feet apart. The number of people using social-media is expected to increase beyond the end of the year, according to a study. Women entrepreneurs created businesses with little more than a passion and a phone. More than half of TikTok's creators were women.

Almost half of the people who started companies in 2020 were women, up from 27% in previous years, according to a survey.

It seemed like a safe route for most people after the Pandemic. If your job no longer looks safe, the jump that looked like such a big risk doesn't seem so big anymore.

Insider found 15 women who launched companies in the Pandemic to get their best tips for growing their businesses using social media.

Kelsey Floyd, potter
Kelsey Floyd, founder of Kelsey Floyd Pottery
courtesy of Floyd

What is the name of the person?

The company sells hand-crafted pottery and ceramics.

The company was founded in October 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

According to documents verified by Insider, Floyd hit over $5,000 in monthly sales in July. Her pieces were featured in the 1000 Vases exhibition in Paris, France.

A post shared by Kelsey Floyd (@kelseyfloydpottery)

There is a backstory.

Floyd began making pottery as a hobby. She loved art and was a potter. She wanted to sell four pieces.

Floyd now specializes in designs that feature chains made of clay and unique vase shapes.

Floyd said that she lost interest in her hobby when she tried to make it into a business opportunity.

She continued crafting and marketing collections even after she sold her first piece.

There is advice on how to turn a personal social media presence into a business.

Floyd grew a robust social media following around her lifestyle content, sharing about her son, personal style, and travel experiences

When it was still easy to grow, Floyd gained her following on the photo sharing site. Initially she grew her business because of that foundation. She told them to use TikTok.

"TikTok has helped me a lot because I get to be vulnerable," Floyd said. It is the best way to start a small business if you are a small creator.

Luxe Home Decor Ltd. logo Luxe Home Decor website

Her name is Jessica Gregson.

The business is called Luxe Home Decor.

The company was founded in October 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 117,000
    • Business TikTok account: 285,600

During the first half of the year, Gregson booked over $65 thousand in sales.

A post shared by LUXE (@luxehomedecorltd)

There is a backstory.

Gregson discovered TikTok videos when she launched Luxe Home Decor. While researching how she could make her own items, she realized how damaging the material was to the environment.

She launched her brand after finding eco- friendly materials. The first sample she gave to her grandmother gave her the confidence to sell other designs.

She put it in a few groups on Facebook and the response was amazing. She moved her business to both platforms.

Social media connections should be turned into global audiences.

She intended to sell her business only to local groups. She expanded after traveling around Manchester to deliver the items.

She said that she didn't want to be delivering door-to- door. She wanted to build a following for her entrepreneurial journey so she started an account on the photo sharing site.

Gregson said that there were floods of messages from countries that he hadn't heard of before.

If you want your business to grow, you need to take advantage of global platforms. The international customer base has helped her expand her business.

Madeline Ronzoni, Happy Rugs founder
Madeline Ronzoni, the founder of Happy Rugs.
Madeline Ronzoni

The name of the person is Madeleine Ronzoni.

Happy Rugs sells custom made rugs.

The company was founded in September 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 285,000
    • Business TikTok account: 905,000

Ronzoni achieved six figures in revenue in her first year. The number comes from sales and social media deals.

A post shared by Madeline Ronzoni (@happy.rugs)

Madeleine Ronzoni was studying marketing at the time of the Pandemic. She found a talent and passion for creating TikTok videos while she was an intern. After opening a TikTok account, she was flooded with questions from people interested in buying her rugs.

The people liked the content. Ronzoni said that they liked the rugs. That's how I started my business.

Happy Rugs was founded by Ronzoni today. She uses a tufting gun to speed up the process of crafting rugs. She works with clients to create both custom and ready-made rugs, as well as collaborating with brands such as Nike, Vans, and Bank of America on advertising campaigns. Since graduating last summer, Ronzoni has been taking Happy Rugs full time.

Ronzoni was advised to start selling her products before she had a final business plan. She didn't have a way to say thank you to her customers. She said other entrepreneurs should be prepared for growth earlier than she was.

She said that she had to take advantage of the demand. Make sure you have all your branding and website up if you don't have that demand yet.

One of the most difficult decisions a business owner can make is to invest in expensive equipment. It may be worth it.

She said that if a business owner wanted to get a new tool, they should spend more money. In the end, it will pay off.

Laura Rowan, founder of By Larow
Laura Rowan, founder of By Larow
courtesy of Rowan

Laura is the name of the person.

The nail salon is located in the United Kingdom.

The company was founded in the month of November 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 39,500
    • Business TikTok account: 579,900

Laura Rowan had an average of 30 clients and four figures in sales per month.

A post shared by Laura Rowan (@bylarow)

There is a backstory.

After joining an online manicurist training program in July 2020 she slowly started taking clients.

She was posting about her nails on social media. She pivoted her attention to building her social platform as the UK imposed more lockdowns.

She reopened her services in February of 2021.

Advice on how to use different platforms in different ways.

She said that he posted one or two videos per day.

She said that it wasn't just overnight. To further dictate her content, she analyzed the responses to her posts to see what worked and what didn't.

On TikTok, she finds posts about her mother's or boyfriend's nails to be the most exciting to watch. She posts photos of completed client nails on her social media accounts.

You have to manage your time well because they are all different. She said that the platform that brought her brand deals was TikTok.

Tillie Dixson, founder of That 1 Studio.
Tillie Dixson, founder of That 1 Studio.
courtesy of Dixson

The name of the person is Tillie Dixson.

That1STUDIO is a hair salon that specializes in braids.

The company was founded in December of 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business TikTok account: 417,000
    • Business Instagram account: 3,651

In her first year of business, Dixson booked just shy of $30,000 in sales. She has seen her income increase month over month since she opened her studio.

A post shared by Tillie Dixson | Cosmetologist (@that1stylist)

After graduating from the school in 2020 she worked in an Indianapolis salon. She wanted to open her own studio since she was focused on the business side of the hair industry. She opened her private salon suite.

She has more than 400,000 followers on TikTok. Behind-the-scenes peeks into how she runs the business are included in her videos.

She needed to grow online to find clients and share her knowledge. She said that her videos helped her build her personal brand as a braider and connect with people from around the world who aren't able to visit her in person.

There is advice for building a brand.

She said it's important to give your customers the best experience. Her brand is popular on social media, but her customers are usually generated from word of mouth. She said that she had to make clients feel comfortable.

While some founders believe they have the right to charge what they're worth, no matter the price or clients' reaction to the cost, it's vital to keep a business sustainable.

She said that your client is number one. Invest in your client experience.

Lisa Andrea, founder of The Financial Cookbook
Lisa Andrea, founder of The Financial Cookbook
courtesy of Andrea

The name of the person is LisaAndrea.

Personal finance and business are related.

The company was founded in February of 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

According to documents verified by Insider, since launching in February 2021, she has increased her revenue to $8,000 each month, based on affiliate marketing, paid partnerships, and products sold on her website.

A post shared by Lisa | The Financial Cookbook (@financialcookbook)

Many women aren't taught the basics of financial planning.

She launched a financial cookbook to answer those questions. Her brand has over 265,000 followers on her social-media platforms.

"The things I coach and talk about on The Financial Cookbook are things I actually do in my life which is why I had the idea to start it." The Financial Cookbook is a place where women can learn everything they need to know in order to succeed.

The Financial Cookbook is active on a number of platforms. It's the most helpful for business growth because of it's popularity. 20 million impressions a month can be generated by the platform.

Talia Taxman, founder of CLR Shop
Talia Taxman, the founder of clr shop.
Talia Taxman

Taxman is the name of the woman.

The shop sells handmade throw blankets.

The company was founded in February of 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Personal Instagram account: 25,500
    • Business Instagram account: 60,900

According to documents verified by Insider, Taxman is expected to make six figures in 2021.

A post shared by clr shop (@c___l___r)

Before the Pandemic, Talia Taxman was better known by her stage name, Rodes Rollins, who had over 20,000 monthly listens to her songs on the streaming service. She started working on her design and graphics skills when she couldn't tour and perform in person.

Taxman wanted to make something that combined her artistic passion with function, and her friends were accumulating throw blankets in their homes. She is the founder of the shop and designs prints that are turned into custom throw blankets.

The brand has appeared in two magazines.

Taxman said it's worth it to combine the two. She separated her role as an entertainer from her business initially. It took six months for Taxman to tell her friends and followers that she was behind the brand.

It boosted the following on both sides. It helped with the story of the store.

She said authenticity was the most important factor in building a brand.

Social media is a great way to get your business out there. She said that it added a human element to it. I hope that it makes my pieces more personal, that the customers know it's just me and my team getting it over to them.

Shaunna, founder Jetom
Shaunna Davis, the founder of Jétom.
Shaunna Davis

The name of the person isShaunna Davis.

There is a business that sells affordable vegan handbags.

The company was founded in August 2021.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 2,009
    • Business TikTok account: 38,700

Davis sold more than $13,000 worth of items in her first four months.

A post shared by Jétom (@jetomldn)

The self-proclaimed queen of handbags died in 2020. Davis launched Jétom in order to remember her mother and start something for herself.

Davis still works as a personal assistant but she also works on Jétom at night. She sleeps until at least 12 a.m. most days. After taking her son to school the next morning she drops off her orders. Davis used to use TikTok for launch tips.

In the beginning, I didn't know what I was doing. Most small businesses don't. It was where TikTok came in. A lot of my business tips came from there.

Her main marketing tool was TikTok. In the four months since launching Jétom, Davis has created a number of viral videos, including one that featured her and six of the bag designs, which received over one million views. The increase in orders was due to the video that was shared in September.

She said to take the leap if you don't start. If I just got up and did it, I would be where I am now.

Davis wanted to be a business owner. She said that the perfect time to start a business is during the Pandemic.

Delsy Gouw, founder It's Memorial Day
Delsy Gouw, the founder of Memorial Day.
Delsy Gouw

The name of the person is Delsy Gouw.

Memorial Day is a time when hand-crocheted hats and accessories are sold.

The company was founded in the month of November 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

The documents verified by Insider show that Gouw's average monthly sales are more than $7,000. The company sold 355 units last year and had celebrities as customers. The brand began to be sold by the retailer in October.

A post shared by ella emhoff (@ellaemhoff)

Delsy Gouw didn't have a lot of time for her crochet hobby when she was in school and working. Gouw worked for a fashion designer in New York City when the Pandemic began.

Her boss sent her home because she worked too much. She picked up her crochet hook and yarn and began to make things. Memorial Day, a brand that's been worn by celebrities such as Kaia Gerber, has been created by her. Four months after launching her business, she quit her job.

It is important to say yes to every opportunity because you don't know who will take you where.

She said to stay focused on your vision because Gouw has been through many cycles of the brand. She stopped creating many of the garments she toyed with because they weren't in line with her brand. She told other entrepreneurs to not get overwhelmed by everything else happening in the industry. She said that finding her own voice has been important to her success.

She said that she flipped and flopped a lot within the year. I would think, 'Look what other people are doing', but it was not me.

Andrea Norquay, founder Nadare
Andrea Norquay, the founder of Nadaré.
Andrea Norquay

What is the name of the person?

The company sells waterproof jewelry.

The company was founded in the month of November 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 66,700
    • Business TikTok account: 97,100

The documents verified by Insider show that Nadaré hits six figures in sales.

A post shared by Nadaré Co. (@nadareco)

Her story is that she left Canada to study criminology at the Australian university. She had to return to her home and work as a food delivery driver.

Norquay had recently bought rings from a brand in Canada. She asked for replacements when they tarnished so quickly. The brand didn't want to be associated with it. Norquay used her free time to research the jewelry industry.

Norquay didn't know anything about jewelry. I started working in food delivery to pay for it.

Norquay booked $36,000 in sales in December 2020. Norquay attributed the increase in sales in February to TikTok.

The company's social marketing is personal. The "how to style" videos that Norquay tried out were helpful for Norquay's audience. She said to take the time for trial and error when hitting that tone.

She said that you have to figure out what your audience wants to see.

Her videos are often raw and unedited and include her own face and voice, which adds a personal element to them.

The platform's version of short-form videos were used to share Norquay's content. Norquay was able to reach more than 3 million views on her videos due to the recycling of TikTok content.

Rayli Nicholson, founder Smooth Eternity
Rayli Nicholson, the founder of Smooth Eternity.
Rayli Nicholson

Rayli Nicholson's name is Rayli Nicholson.

There is a business that sells lipgloss and beauty products.

The company was founded in the month of November 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 12,300
    • Business TikTok account: 279,600

In its first year, Smooth Eternity sold over $30,000 worth of beauty products.

A post shared by 𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 (@smootheternity)

Rayli Nicholson was only 19 years old when she started her companies. She has been surrounded by the founder spirit for as long as she can remember.

Nicholson used to make makeup for her students in middle school. I'm doing that on a larger scale.

Since the launch of her latest venture, Nicholson has expanded her offering to include more products and changed the formula based on what her clients want. Customer requests for the brand to be more inclusive have led to most of Smooth Eternity's products being vegan.

Nicholson wants to hear what people have to say. I'll try my best to listen to you.

Nicholson said to use available resources to learn from business owners who have been successful. She finds the online community of fellow creators to be helpful for questions on brand deals, when to partner with companies, and how to scale a following.

She said that you can't have enough people telling you how to do things.

It was important for Nicholson to know that she needed to be paid for the time she spent working with sponsors, just as customers paid for her time making products. Business creators should make sure partnerships are worth as much to their businesses as they are to the larger company.

If you actually align with the company, it's all right. Don't work with a brand that you don't like.

Jovannah Ford, founder Brae Lake
Javonnah Ford, the founder of Braelake.
Javonnah Ford

Javonnah Ford is the name of the person.

Braelake sells candles and wax melt in different shapes and designs.

The company was founded in March of 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 51,200
    • Business TikTok account: 181,100

Braelake booked more than $50,000 in its first year.

A post shared by BRAELAKE STUDIO (@braelake)

Javonnah Ford was laid off from her job as an operations analyst in March 2020 and stayed home with her son while he was attending online school. It was difficult for Ford because of the new schedule.

She was inspired after finding a thread about candle making on the internet. She uploaded her videos to TikTok. Ford was asked to sell the products she displayed in her videos. She decided to open an online store.

Braelake was officially opened by Ford in March. Some of the wax melt and candles that Ford sells look like food. The first video to go viral on her page was a video of Ford's famous cereals wax melt.

Many people were interested in that. My TikTok grew from there.

She said to "record everything that you do, and eventually you'll figure out what type of content people like and what they don't."

Ford used viewer requests to create both content and products. She continued to build that part of her portfolio because she realized that food wax melt did well on TikTok.

Jacqueline Dubois, painter and founder
Jacqueline Dubois, the founder of Jacqueline Dubois LLC.
Jacqueline Dubois

What is the name of the person?

The company makes and sells semi abstract paintings and prints.

The company was founded in May 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

More than 6,000 orders were sold by Dubois. According to documents verified by Insider, the artist's sales have reached six figures.

A post shared by Jacqueline Dubois (@artofjqwellin)

A story about a college student who took a gap year after the Pandemic hit and focused on painting. She created a niche for herself in the art market since she found her passion for painting abstract figures.

When she first showcased her work on TikTok, she didn't think she'd be an artist. When celebrity clients posted pictures of her creations, she got an influx of orders. She decided to sell paintings full time.

After I realized there was an opportunity for my business, I was intentional about it. I was wondering what they liked about it. I don't know how I can do more of that.

Advice on maintaining mental health as a business owner: given her major in college, it was natural for her to create a marketing strategy for herself. She said that social media can be difficult because it is connected to the person behind the business. The marketing aspects of a business should be depersonalized.

She said that if an artist is trying to connect to people so badly, it can be really crushing to have this huge high and then a huge low.

She said that you can't put your worth into numbers. She took a break from the app to protect her mental health after reaching more than 200,000 followers.

She said there was something to be said about the inconsistent rewards. She said that the only way to ensure business longevity is to focus on your mental health as an entrepreneurial.

Crystal, founder Angel Wear
Crystal Angel, the founder of Angel Wear.
Crystal Angel

Crystal Angel's name is Crystal Angel.

Angel Wear clothing is a business.

The company was founded in the month of November 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

    • Business Instagram account: 23,400
    • Business TikTok account: 51,800

According to documents verified by Insider, Angel booked more than $20,000 in sales in one month after her TikTok got over 2 million views. The brand's sales have ranged from $15,000 to $20,000 a month.

A post shared by Angelwear (@angelwearclothing)

Crystal Angel has worn her fair share of medical scrubs over the course of her career in healthcare. Angel was frustrated by the lack of affordable, stylish, and comfortable scrubs on the market. She saw an opportunity to help the nurses and healthcare workers when she was laid off from her job because of the swine flu.

Angel's business serves nurses, massage therapists, and other healthcare workers with her variety of scrubs in nine different colors.

Angel said that it can be difficult. You have to be very specific with what you want She's still tweaking her guide and trying to get the perfect fit with her customers.

Most of Angel's business is done through social media. When she began posting regularly on social-media platforms, she realized that it was a cheaper and more effective way to advertise.

She focused on other small business owners. She shared videos showing her packing an order. She was able to grow her community of other business owners on the app. She realized that she had to connect with healthcare workers through her content in order to grow her following and sales.

She moved from a small-business to anurses of TikTok to find her audience. The experiment to find the audience that checked all the boxes was a game-changer.

She said that showing off her product worked for her.

Soph Mosca, founder loungewear by Soph Mosca
Soph Mosca, the founder of Loungewear by Soph Mosca.
Bailee Cotrone

The name of the person is "Sop Mosca".

Loungewear is a business that sells beach inspired clothing.

The company was founded in April of 2020.

At the time of writing, follower count.

Mosca saw almost $15,000 in sales through the first three drops. Mosca said the first drop sold out in 22 hours and the second sold out in 20 minutes. The third drop is for sale on the website.

Mosca hasn't released a new collection in over two years.

A post shared by SUNSHARK (@shopsunshark)

The story is that at the end of the year, Mosca downloaded TikTok. She was a Division I dancer at Southern New Hampshire University and her friends encouraged her to use the app.

Mosca saw an increase in followers when COVID-19 arrived in the US. She began sharing more about herself and her life with her followers after finding her niche with TikTok. Mosca's 1.7 million TikTok followers made her the perfect fan base for her new loungewear brand.

Mosca used to draw outfits in a sketch pad and tell himself he was going to be a clothing designer, but he never considered it. I have always had a fire in me to be a business owner.

Mosca is an online student and still works on her business. She shares her life experiences as a 20-something on the Happy Human Club.

Mosca is able to connect with her followers through her social content because they are authentic to her. When launching a personal brand, she said to focus on what's important to them.

She said that having someone guide you in a specific direction could muddy your vision. Mosca made the most progress in brand growth when she began to listen to herself.

Mosca said that people are going to want to tell you what to do with young girls. I can tell you that you know what's best for you and your business.

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